Well, there's at least two or three gold elf family names mentioned in Blackstaff (novel); the ones he's on best terms with might be the Ilbaereths (who descended from two Myth Drannor families....can't remember which ones but their names mash together into Ilbaereth and it got a mention when Tsarra met Yaereene).

Hmmm... I need to read it again, since I can't remember that bit although several of my PCs have met Lady Ilbaereth. That said, will 'Blackstaff Tower' feature any elven clans or reveal juicy tidbits about ancient elven realms? I have high expectations for it, since it's probably going to be the only 4E FR novel I'm going to buy.

"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm

-We know that the Sharn (most of them) were transformed Dark Elves. We also know that Dark Elves could use Elven High Magic. That said, was the Sharn Wall created using a form/variant of Elven High Magic, usable by the Sharn? I am asking because Player's Guide to Faerūn states that Elven High Magic was unable to repair the breach in the Sharn Wall in 1371 DR, and I've been giving some thought as to the reason why.

-As always, we all appreciate any insight you can give us, and that you take the time to help us all out here.

(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know)

-We know that the Sharn (most of them) were transformed Dark Elves. We also know that Dark Elves could use Elven High Magic. That said, was the Sharn Wall created using a form/variant of Elven High Magic, usable by the Sharn? I am asking because Player's Guide to Faerūn states that Elven High Magic was unable to repair the breach in the Sharn Wall in 1371 DR, and I've been giving some thought as to the reason why.

-As always, we all appreciate any insight you can give us, and that you take the time to help us all out here.

Sheesh. A week to come back and answer this. I'm ashamed. My bad.

Well, I'll confess that I'd never really made a study of the Sharn Wall, but here's my take on it and why elves couldn't repair it.

The Sharn, at least as I've always posited them since the summer of 1991, are a uniquely amalgamated race with unique mindsets due to the collective consciousness of it all.

Given that WotC never officially set the sharn up as X+Y+Z creatures and instead left it wide open, that allowed me the freedom to set up BLACKSTAFF and its climax the way I did. Thus, my take should not be seen as excluding any other interpretations, just adding details as I see `em.

The simplest answer--it's not JUST Elven High Magic. It's MORE than that, though elven High Magic formed the skeleton on which it's built.

The long answer--Remember that the sharn are a combined 3 GRAND Mages, perhaps an additional elven High Mage here and there, plus a whole lot of elves (of all stripes, including sea elves, IMO), AND a whole lot of other races, each of them bringing their own magics and potentials with them. Once merged, the collective understanding of magic within the sharn increased and they were able to do things they'd normally never be able to do....like create a construct like the Sharn Wall. So, if elves were ever willing to share the knowledge of High Magic with gnomes and dwarves and centaurs, they might learn that there are other thoughts and other processes that other cultures know about that could work with their High Magic. But since many elves with High Magic see themselves as above all that and/or unwilling to share tel'quessir secrets, they don't get to learn about other races' secrets and magics.

Stray ideas--The above isn't to suggest that every race has its own version of High Magic. It's more that the Sharn Wall is the culmination of special tricks and a unique mixture of ideas and spells woven together by High Magic. With their new and unique perspectives, sharn could take dwarven rune magics and carve them inside the Sharn wall in three dimensions, creating entirely new runes never seen carved into rock before. Sharn could also take advantage of gnomish understandings of illusions and build very special, very sturdy illusions that served also to bulwark the Sharn Wall (and to delineate what they were would ruin the illusion, ja?).

Get the idea now? That's the true power of the Sharn, and some of that power got pulled into use in restoring Rhymanthiin. All Khelben and his assembly of wizards et al restored a 50 mile radius plot of the High Moor to health and they helped restore the original bodies/races/minds of many within the Sharn. It was the Sharn itself/themselves (using those same wizards et al as magical support and mental support ala supporters of High Magic) who created the city of Rhymanthiin with their unique magics.

Saw your posts in the FR reading section and I wondered what your thoughts and reactions were to Blackstaff (good and bad alike).

<snip>

Stevenwho's getting nervous about Blackstaff Tower

Over all I really enjoyed the book. Being a cat person, I really enjoyed the amount of "screen time" Nameless got. I also really enjoyed the description of how apprenticeship in Blackstaff Tower works, and the introduction and development of the character of Tsarra. I found the way you used her connection with Khelben to give us a glimpse into his memories in a very Ed-like (it reminded me a bit of Elminster in Hell) manner. Now for the one semi-negative thing I have to say: I found the history of the Sharn illuminating, confusing, and hard to follow. Yes, I know that is a bit contradictory, but that is what it felt like. I really appreciated the above response you gave about the Sharn, because that helped clear most the questions I still had about them. While I am eagerly anticipating Blackstaff Tower, I would also be interested in a work about Sharn, perhaps dealing with their war against the Phaerimm (though with WotC pushing the 4e Realms and post-Spellplague novels, I am sad to say I doubt I will ever see it ).

Your friend,Tim (A.K.A. Hawkins )

P.S. Is Blackstaff the book for which you actually went and visited Ed to get insights from him on the character?

To add my two cents in here, there were only two points of contention I had with the book (the rest was GOLDEN) -

The incredibly confusing history of the Sharn (which I believe Hawkins is also referring to). I wasn't able to follow that part too clearly (with all the 'flash-back' scenes mingling with 'real time'), and I think I may have to go back and read it a third time (just that part) to figure out who those people were (They seemed to be priests of a bunch of gods; which indicates to me that the Sharn's magic should be more along the lines of Divine, NOT Arcane). Maybe thats why they are so powerful - they blur the lines between different types of magic?

Not part of the novel, but it comes into play:The Phaerimm are mentioned as nearly taking down the Sarrukh (who had to divert an entire sea to stop them) in primordial times, long before Elves came around. Also, they had some contention with the Imaskari! The Imaskari faired the best against them though, and were able to drive them off (to Netheril?). I'm wondering if the Spell Shenandra 'discovered' in Shadowtop Borough was the same one the Imaskari used to solve their 'Phaerimm Problem'.

So the Sharn have not been around nearly as long as the Phaerimm. I think that whatever the Sarrukh did, it drove the Phaerimm form the world for some time (otherwise, where were they between -33,800 DR, and around -8350 DR when the Imaskari created them). Yes, it specifically says Imaskar created the Phaerimm (Und pg. 9) - Its all very confusing...

Unless the Imaskar's method of dealing with their problem was to to send them back through time!

Which is probably why the Sharn do not encounter them until years later, even though both existed at the time Of Imaskar.

Who knows? Maybe the 'flood' only kept the Phaerimm busy while they cast their real magical solution - to put the Phaerimm in stasis for all eternity...

And of course, the Nethrease magics somehow weakened their 'prison', allowing them to trouble the world once again, and bringing them into conflict with the Sharn (or the stasis-magic could have just failed after 25,000 years or so). The weird part of that solution is that they would have been in stasis right through the time period of their own creation (and existed twice at the same point in time). Unless they were locked away in a demi-plane instead... in which case perhaps the Imaskari didn't so much 'create' them, as they did release them (temporarily), and then locked them back up in stasis or the demi-plane, whichever you prefer.

The Sharn Wall seemed to be the second least-effective means dealing with them (silly Sharn/Elves, and their near-useless High-magic), the first being Karsus's incredibly catastrophic blunder.

Anyhow, I went somewhat off-track with the Phaerimm there, but you see what I mean about the Sharn - Not so much them, but their 'enemies' that gives me 'canon headaches'.

I like the way you envision the Sharn's mind working - very alien, super-genius, and you know what they say - "there is a fine line between genius and insanity". It fits them well, and explains there sometimes-irrational behaviour. It also sounds a lot like Ed's take on the Aboleth's from the other thread - so many memories from so many different people, that it becomes a confusing blur, while at the same time providing insight into problems unsolvable by 'lesser beings'.

The second point of contention is the 'missing' Dark Elves... but I've beaten that dead horse in a few other threads...

I just can't seem to let it go... If there's an actual question somewhere in this mish-mosh, it would be "What happened to the Dark Elves of Miyeritar?"

On last thing before I shut the heck up:You know... if you really want to solve all of this but still keep all the facts canon, you could always use the Sundering, which created two distinct Timelines for a period of about 20,000. In the original timeline, the Sarrukh created the Phaerimm, and solved their problem by casting a spell very similar to the Elves 'Sundering' Ritual, causing the Phaerimm to be 'erased' in their time, only to reappear in another time and place (which is how the Imaskari were able to create them a second time, years later).

Doctor Strange cast a similar magic when he saved the world from Kulan-Gath, and inadvertantly created Nimrod by changing time.

Lesson: If you mess with time, it comes back and bites you in the a__.

Maybe that 20,000 year slice of 'altered time' became it's own world... one called Abeir.

Which has also been used in comics before, when the Timetrapper did the same thing to create Superboy's 'Pocket universe'.

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone

quote:Originally posted by HawkinstheDM[Over all I really enjoyed the book. Being a cat person, I really enjoyed the amount of "screen time" Nameless got.

Me too (though Steve already knows that).

"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."--Richard Greene (letter to Time)

I just can't seem to let it go... If there's an actual question somewhere in this mish-mosh, it would be "What happened to the Dark Elves of Miyeritar?"

The dark elves that were Sharn chose to remain Sharn, so as not to become drow.

I'm not Steve, but I think that answers your question...?

"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."--Richard Greene (letter to Time)

"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."--Richard Greene (letter to Time)

That might have mattered once, but I think lately there are more Drow in human towns then humans! Everywhere you turn lately, there are Drow on the surface, and some even holding positions of power.

Its not like it used to be - nowadays every major city probably has a 'Drizzt fan Club' in it. It seems like RAS (and his rabid fans) have made being Drow and desirable thing, not something to be ashamed of.

And 'Underdark Fever' is running rampant across the North.

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone

And, also, escaping certain death. As Steven Schend once said:- "I figure there's been a few who've been offered salvation from certain death by joining the sharn." He wasn't specifically referring to those of Miyeritar, but it may be possible that several of the elves of Miyeritar didn't embrace the idea of becoming drow, or looked upon the notion of death with distaste. And thus, instead chose the path to Sharn-hood [that's a word now! ].

I sent you an email via the forums, but wasn't real sure it went, so I'm gonna bug ya here too. I posted this in Eric Boyd's thread beacsue he authored the book, but would very much welcome you opinion on the matters Moonstar.

quote:Eric,

In the Waterdeep, City of Splendors 3.5 book the Moonstar Prc lists stealthy and investigator as required feats. I think this is a bit too rogue/bard focused for the amount of spellcasters involved with the group and it goals/aims. While I agree both feats certainly assist in the group goals, could you perhaps provide an alternate feat for spellcasting member who achieves stealth & snooping via his spells rather than a feat that requires them to take CC skills?

I had posed this question to the Hooded one in an earlier topic, but after looking at Cormanthyr: Empire of Elves I noticed that you were the glorious author of that magnanimous pice of work.

Therefore I was wondering if you could possibly answer my question, which is:

The family crests/symbols of the Vyshaan and the Irythil. You astutely included ones for most of the rest of the elven noble families (thank you!) but unfortunately my campaign is also centering around Vyshaan, and Irythil. I wanted to make them somewhat authentic adventures, as such I wanted to get an explanation for their crests and include those on shields, doorways etc.

As I get back into the latest Realms novels, I chose as my first one, Blackstaff. I've always respected your work as game designer and was happy to discover your excellent talent in writing novels! I especially appreciated the very detailed descriptions of magical items; you really made each item unique even if that item only appeared for a brief moment on the shelf.

I thought that the entire book was a giant treat to history buffs of the Realms. I felt very rewarded for the investment I have in the ancient past of the Realms by what you wrote, particularly about Miyeritar and the subsequent elven dominions.

You brought to my attention in the 4E FR Forum Topic that the happenings in the High Moor took place about 110 miles south of Loudwater. Since that is the site of the starting campaign in the new FRCG, I was wondering if you could extrapolate on the developments in the High Moor? Has the topography/fauna/flora of the entire area changed? Have the South Wood and Misty Forest expanded into the area? Have new settlements come in? Is the area safer?

I just encountered the Character Name Generator and suggested it to my players on our site, but I'd like to know if you intend to add more professions and more adjectives? I kept getting similar results even when using different letters and professions, not that some of those adjectives weren't bad mo ... "I'm talkin' 'bout Shaft!" ....

I had posed this question to the Hooded one in an earlier topic, but after looking at Cormanthyr: Empire of Elves I noticed that you were the glorious author of that magnanimous pice of work.

Therefore I was wondering if you could possibly answer my question, which is:

The family crests/symbols of the Vyshaan and the Irythil. You astutely included ones for most of the rest of the elven noble families (thank you!) but unfortunately my campaign is also centering around Vyshaan, and Irythil. I wanted to make them somewhat authentic adventures, as such I wanted to get an explanation for their crests and include those on shields, doorways etc.

Thank you,

If this conflicts with any previous and/or published lore, know that that should take precedence over a late afternoon brainstorm, okay?

Vyshaan seal/shield/family mark: Round black shield bordered in gold band with six red ovals surrounding a white diamond at the center. This can also be placed on a kite-shaped shield, but the blazon is smaller with more black, obviously.

Irithyl seal/shield/family mark: Blue and black shield rimmed in silver, a diagonal line running top right to lower left puts black in upper left and blue in lower right fields. The emblem itself is a white wolfhound with black eyes rearing up with claws extended to the left (Can't remember for certain, but this might technically be Wolfhound Volant Sinister....but don't quote me on that.)

As I get back into the latest Realms novels, I chose as my first one, Blackstaff. I've always respected your work as game designer and was happy to discover your excellent talent in writing novels! I especially appreciated the very detailed descriptions of magical items; you really made each item unique even if that item only appeared for a brief moment on the shelf.

I thought that the entire book was a giant treat to history buffs of the Realms. I felt very rewarded for the investment I have in the ancient past of the Realms by what you wrote, particularly about Miyeritar and the subsequent elven dominions.

You brought to my attention in the 4E FR Forum Topic that the happenings in the High Moor took place about 110 miles south of Loudwater. Since that is the site of the starting campaign in the new FRCG, I was wondering if you could extrapolate on the developments in the High Moor? Has the topography/fauna/flora of the entire area changed? Have the South Wood and Misty Forest expanded into the area? Have new settlements come in? Is the area safer?

Thank you for any insights.

First up, thank you for the compliments; they're humbly appreciated.

Most of this has been discussed earlier in this forum and/or under the Blackstaff chapter-by-chapter discussions.

Still, in short, here's the changes:

Highstar Lake is now one mile longer, stretching one mile further west than it used to. In effect, a one-mile by one-mile lagoon opened up to allow Tor Asuor, one of Rhymanthiin's guardian towers, to be a half-mile from any shore of Highstar Lake. This is the most obvious and most notable of the towers marking the boundaries claimed by Rhymanthiin.

In a circular layout, there are nine towers each exactly 25 miles from the city center of Rhymanthiin. Among them (i.e. inside the circle of their protection), the lands have been cleansed and purified and made healthy again for the first time in 12,000 years. Crops grow there now where there are not the roads leading from the hidden city to the towers.

Thus, there's a 50-mile-diameter area of abundantly fertile soil on the High Moor, and that magic is still advancing, cleansing and reviving soil beyond the towers. That progress is very slow, since there's no active magic behind it and it's just the progression of the magic Khelben's workings set in motion. At the rate of progress, it should take only about a dozen centuries or so before the High Moor is eradicated.

I'll have to check with my shadowy masters as to what I'm free to talk about with this topic. To say any more may bump into some NDAs, so I'll check and hopefully come back to add more to the topic. In the meantime, check out the past discussion about the City of Hope for more.

I just encountered the Character Name Generator and suggested it to my players on our site, but I'd like to know if you intend to add more professions and more adjectives? I kept getting similar results even when using different letters and professions, not that some of those adjectives weren't bad mo ... "I'm talkin' 'bout Shaft!" ....

(Insert appropriate emoticon here.)

Um, I'm kinda lost as to what you're talking about here, man.

Was this one of those things I scribbled off quickly for the website way back in 2000? If so, I'm afraid I've totally forgotten and have no plans to do much if anything with it.

Heck, give us the link so we can all go check this out. As for adjusting it, I suspect you (or someone) could probably put together a vastly better generator for Candlekeep itself.